A 36-year-old former New Jersey high school teacher is accused of engaging in sexual acts with a student on multiple occasions in three different townships.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said Thursday that Julie Rizzitello, who resigned her position at Wall Township High School earlier this week, had been arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, three counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of witness tampering.
According to prosecutors, Rizzitello’s relationship with the unidentified student began earlier this year and involved “various sexual acts” on “multiple occasions and in at least three jurisdictions — Belmar, Brick, and Wall.”
The former educator was arrested on Wednesday and taken to Monmouth County Correctional Institution. She’s since been charged in both Monmouth and Ocean counties.
She remains behind bars pending a detention hearing.
According to local outlet Brick Shorebeat, Rizzitello was an English teacher who’d spent a decade with the Wall Township School District. She also served as an advisor for numerous clubs.
It’s not clear if the victim was one of her students or club members.
A profile of the teacher on the district website had been removed by Thursday.